Summer is the most important season for the music industry, and there are plenty of blockbusters and chart-toppers making their way onto stages in Boston and beyond.

The “Piano Man” Billy Joel, pop-princess Katy Perry, boy band One Direction and the first couple of pop and hip-hop, Beyonce and Jay Z, may be most anticipated, but smooth-voiced Bruno Mars, eye-popper Lady Gaga, local rockers Aerosmith and Mr. “Sexy Back” Justin Timberlake will certainly pack a punch.

Pop stars rule the summer

If pop stars are your thing, then the TD Garden in Boston is where you want to be with five hit-makers scheduled: Avicii (June 25), Lady Gaga (June 30), Bruno Mars (July 2), Justin Timberlake (July 19) and Katy Perry (Aug. 1). Grammy-winners Arcade Fire are set to heat up Xfinity Center Aug. 19, and British singer Ed Sheeran performs there Sept. 9. British-group-of-the-moment One Direction will be doing three shows at Gillette Stadium Aug. 7-9. Speaking of sports venues, Fenway Park is the setting for two of the hottest tickets in town in June – Billy Joel (June 26) and the Zac Brown Band (June 27-28).

Double plays

A number of double and triple bills are making the rounds. The Blue Hills Bank Pavilion will host pop band OneRepublic and The Script (June 24).

The Backstreet Boys partnering with Avril Lavigne (June 20), Lionel Richie touring with CeeLo Green (June 24), Fall Out Boy and Paramore (June 22) and the one-two punch of Aerosmith and Slash (July 16) land at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield. Queen and Adam Lambert will rock you at the TD Garden in Boston (July 22).

Three is not a crowd for Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow and Gloriana (June 21, Xfinity).

Blasts from the past

If you missed some of your favorite ’70s, ’80s and ’90s bands, you can catch many of them on tour this summer: Yes (July 8), Sarah McLachlan (July 19) and Phish (July 1) are at the Xfinity Center. Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band return for their annual Parrothead bash in Mansfield on July 19.

Be “Bad to the Bone” with George Thorogood and the Destroyers June 22 at Indian Ranch in Webster. Continue the trip down memory lane there with the Barenaked Ladies (July 20) and Beach Boys (Aug. 17).

At the South Shore Music Circus the lineup includes John Hiatt and the Robert Cray Band (July 5), Huey Lewis & The News (July 13), Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (July 27) and 3 Doors Down Acoustic (July 30).

The sounds of Nashville will be strong this summer with an abundance of country music concerts, starting with George Strait, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill at Gillette Stadium May 31. Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss heat up the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion June 17. “American Idol” judge Keith Urban tops a triple bill July 26 at the Xfinity Center. Brad Paisley, touring with Randy Houser, Leah Turner and Charlie Worsham, plays there Aug. 23 and Miranda Lambert, with Justin Moore and Thomas Rhett, on Sept. 6.

Country queen Martina McBride will play at the South Shore Music Circus July 11 followed by Trace Adkins on Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. “American Idol” alum Scotty McCreery plays the Cape Aug. 1.

The Decemberists and Jack Johnson headline the Boston Calling Music Festival May 23-25. Paulie’s New Orleans Jazz & Blues Fest is June 20-22 in Worcester.

Jennifer Lopez tops a pair of pop and hip-hop festivals – the Jam’N 94.5 Summer Jam May 30 and the KISS Concert May 31 at the Xfinity Center. The Vans Warped Tour lands at Xfinity July 10 and the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, featuring Korn, is there July 22.

Catch soul legend Mavis Staples and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy at the Newport Folk Festival July 25-27. The Lowell Folk Fest is also July 25-27. The Plymouth Harbor Folk Festival is July 13, and the Plymouth Independent Music Festival is July 18-20.